The Constitution of the United Kingdom: A Contextual Analysis (Constitutional Systems of the World)

The Constitution of the United Kingdom: A Contextual Analysis (Constitutional Systems of the World)

by PeterLeyland (Author)

Synopsis

This acclaimed book provides a topical and contextual outline of the principles,doctrines and institutions that underpin the United Kingdom constitution. The third edition of The Constitution of the United Kingdom has been comprehensively revised and updated to take account of recent constitutional developments and debates. This includes: the revised framework for devolution following the 2014 referendum in Scotland, the constitutional ramifications of the realignment of UK politics reflected in the result of the 2015 general election and the debate over the possible replacement of the Human Rights Act 1998 with a British Bill of Rights. The chapters are written in sufficient detail for anyone coming to the subject for the first time to develop a clear and informed view of how the constitution is arranged and how it operates. The main themes include: discussion of the history, sources and conventions of the constitution; later chapters deal with: constitutional principles, the role of the Crown, Parliament and the electoral system, government and the executive, the constitutional role of courts including the protection of human rights, the territorial distribution of power between central, devolved and local government, and the European Union dimension. In addition, the book offers analysis of the evolution of the uncodified UK constitution, its strengths and perceived weaknesses, and of reforms aimed at its modernisation.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Edition: 3rd Revised edition
Publisher: Hart Publishing
Published: 02 Jun 2016

ISBN 10: 1849469075
ISBN 13: 9781849469074

Media Reviews
...Leyland has produced a slim guide to the constitution of the United Kingdom that is both highly readable and impressively thorough. It deserves a place on undergraduate reading lists as a precursor to a more theoretical examination, and given a very reasonable price one hopes that many students will feel able to purchase their own copy. They will certainly find it worth their while. -- CJS Knight * The Cambridge Law Journal *
...provides an excellent discussion of the legal basis of parliamentary sovereignty... -- Alexandra Kelso * Parliamentary Affairs *
Signposting is clear and helpful. Bibliographies are to the point...The prose is clear and authoritative. The reader's tour of Britain's constitutional history is efficient. The parliamentary process, including the passage of bills through Westminster, is described accessibly and with concision. The classic texts of constitutional analysis - Dicey, Bagehot, Jennings and the like - are introduced and their contribution summarised. And the radical reforms of the Blair administrations are recounted effectively...a valuable introductory survey. -- Andrew MacDonald * The Law & Politics Book Review *
[Leyland's] aim is to provide a concise, contextual and accessible introduction to the UK constitution. To those three Cs one might add a fourth: comparative...Leyland undoubtedly makes good on all four Cs. His written style is admirably clear, conversational and free from jargon. The chapter discussions are punchy and never too drawn out. The arguments and accounts of abstract principles are brought to life with highly topical examples from the UK and beyond...What may seem an unlikely additional plus, given the book's aims, is its ambitious coverage. Just about everything one would expect to find in a much meatier, more advanced textbook is touched upon...It is the perfect companion for overseas students attempting to compare the UK constitution with their own. It will be of immense interest to anybody with a general interest in UK law, politics and history. -- Stuart Lakin * Times Highes Education *
Author Bio
Peter Leyland is Professor of Public Law at SOAS, University of London and Emeritus of London Metropolitan University.